3 September 1999
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206 and/or head coach Chris Schumacher, (309) 556-3624
IWU Cross Country Optimistic As Season Starts
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Illinois Wesleyan University began its women’s cross country program in 1989 and the Titans’ best conference finish since then was sixth in 1994.
Looking at the season ahead, IWU coach Chris Schumacher thinks the Titans "should have the highest (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) finish IWU has had." His entire top seven returns from last year’s eighth-place CCIW squad, and joining them are five freshmen, any of whom could crack the team’s top three, Schumacher said.
On the men’s side, the Titans return four of their top seven from a fifth-place CCIW squad. Both IWU teams open the season at 5:00 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Elmhurst Invitational.
WOMEN
"We are going from a team that had four or five consistent runners to one with nine or 10 who could be in the top seven any given week," Schumacher said. The top returnee from last year’s league meet is sophomore Becky Wetzel (Tuscola HS), who was IWU’s top finisher in three of the last four meets of the season, including the CCIW and Division III Midwest Regional. She finished 38th in the CCIW meet with a season-best time of 18 minutes, 54 seconds and was 97th in the region with a run of 19 minutes, 58 seconds.
Also back from the top seven are sophomore Carmen Owens (Charleston HS), junior Casey Twanow (Spring Valley, St. Bede Academy), junior Katy McCain (Bloomington, Normal West), senior Carolyn Demas (Oak Park, Oak Park-River Forest HS), sophomore Molly Carpenter (Glenview, Glenbrook South HS), and sophomore Stephanie Reinhart (Tuscola HS).
In her first season of college cross country, McCain was named as the "Hardest Workers" for the women’s squad and had the team’s best time at the Illinois Division III meet with a run of 20 minutes, 31 seconds. Her best time of the year of 19 minutes, 16 seconds which earned her a 49th place finish at the CCIW meet.
Making an early bid as the team’s top runner is freshman Anne Herrmann (Freeport HS), whom Schumacher says has been a pleasant surprise, while other freshmen to watch are Allison Friedrich (Newark, Sandwich HS), who placed 36th in last year’s Class A state meet, Colleen Kirby (Elmhurst, York HS), and Betsy Yoder (Goshen, Ind., Fairfield HS).
MEN
"I think with the team being so small, they need to work on running together," said Schumacher, who has an 11-man squad. "If they can take that approach to practice and have it carry over into some meets, they could surprise some people."
Last year’s top two runners - Frank Tarantino and Mark Kevan - are graduated, leaving junior Andrew Medendorp (Urbana, Uni High) and sophomore Michael Melick (Danvers, Stanford Olympia) to lead the team. Medendorp is IWU’s top returnee from the CCIW Meet, having placed 31st.
Also back from the top seven are junior Matt Roberts (Petersburg, Porta HS) and senior co-captain Bill Macaulay (Palatine HS).
A likely bet to join this year’s top five is junior Jim Mladic (Orland Park, Sandburg HS), a former soccer player.
For the first time in more than a decade, Illinois Wesleyan will conduct home meets, beginning with the five-team IWU Invitational at 5 p.m. Oct. 1 at Normal’s Maxwell Park and ending with the CCIW Meet at Maxwell at noon Oct. 30.
1999 CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE
September 3 at Elmhurst Invitational, 5 p.m.
September 9 at North Central Invitational, 5 p.m.
September 24 at Augustana Invitational, 5 p.m.
October 1 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN INVITATIONAL, 5 p.m. (Maxwell Park)
October 15 at Millikin Invitational, 4 p.m.
October 23 IWU HOMECOMING 5K, 8 a.m.
October 30 CCIW Championships at Maxwell Park, Normal
November 13 NCAA Midwest Regional
1999 MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ROSTER
NAME YR. HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Jason Bucek Jr. Frankfort (Lincoln-Way HS)
Eric Gillhouse Fr. Danvers (Stanford Olympia HS)
Josh Herzog Jr. Palatine (HS)
Lucus Lyons So. Kingston (Genoa-Kingston HS)
Bill Macaulay *# Sr. Palatine (HS)
Andrew Medendorp ** Jr. Urbana (University High)
Matthew Melick Fr. Danvers (Stanford Olympia HS)
Michael Melick * So. Danvers (Stanford Olympia HS)
Jim Mladic Jr. Orland Park (Sandburg HS)
Matt Roberts * Jr. Petersburg (Porta HS)
Bill Schneider # Sr. Orland Park (Stagg HS)
1999 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ROSTER
NAME YR. HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Jesse Adkins Fr. Franklin Grove (Franklin Center HS)
Amanda Bailey # Sr. Carol Stream (Glenbard North HS)
Molly Carpenter * So. Glenview (Glenbrook South HS)
Jen Davis Fr. Heyworth (HS)
Carolyn Demas *** Sr. Oak Park (Oak Park-River Forest HS)
Michelle Dionne Fr. Pana (HS)
Marissa Emerson Sr. Thayer (Virden HS)
Tina Erickson Fr. Elk Grove Village (Conant HS)
Renee Evans Fr. Chicago (Providence Catholic HS)
Allison Friedrich Fr. Newark (Sandwich HS)
Shannon Gore Sr. Wheeling (HS)
Abbey Haag ** Sr. Mahomet (Mahomet-Seymour HS)
Anne Herrmann Fr. Freeport (HS)
Colleen Kirby Fr. Elmhurst (York HS)
Faye Kouimelis Fr. Lisle (HS)
Katy McCain * Jr. Bloomington (Normal West HS)
Karin McDowell # Sr. Ottawa (HS)
Carmen Owens * So. Charleston (HS)
Trisha Powers Fr. New Lenox (Lincoln-Way HS)
Stephanie Reinhart * So. Tuscola (HS)
Laura Tipton So. Grayslake (HS)
Casey Twanow ** Jr. Spring Valley (St. Bede HS)
Becky Wetzel * So. Tuscola (HS)
Betsy Yoder Fr. Goshen, Ind. (Fairfield HS)*--Indicates letterwinners. #--Indicates co-captains.